SALISBURY, N.C. --- Kassie Voelker tallied nine kills and a .500 hitting percentage to lead the Tusculum College volleyball team to a 3-0 South Atlantic Conference victory over host Catawba College Friday night at Goodman Gym.

The Pioneers (16-7, 11-5 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 to record their fourth consecutive victory and complete the season sweep over the Catawba Indians (4-14, 4-12 SAC).

Megan Hasse added seven kills, nine digs and a match-high six service aces, increasing her SAC-best total of 41 aces on the season. Danae Stauffer and Rachel Garnett posted seven kills each, while Victoria Ashley accounted for five kills, three blocks and a .500 attack percentage.

Senior Caitlyn Dean led the Tusculum defense with 19 digs to go along with two assists and a service ace.

Hasse recorded two aces at the opening of the match as Tusculum moved out to a 4-0 advantage. Catawba stayed close and cut the margin to 16-15 on a kill from Kaytee Frabotta. The Pioneers then reeled off six of the next seven points to go up 22-16 as Hasse had two kills during the run. The Lady Indians cut the gap to 23-20 late, but another kill from Hasse was followed by a Catawba hitting error to give the set to Tusculum, 25-20.

Another ace by Hasse in the second frame had the Pioneers up 3-1. Catawba responded with a run to put the Lady Indians up 6-4 following an ace from Meredith Furr. The Lady Indians stayed on top at 9-7 after a solo block from Morant and increased the Catawba lead to 13-10 after at Tusculum error. The Pioneers came out of a timeout with a five-point run and stayed up the rest of the set. An ace from Dean and two Catawba errors pushed the margin to 23-17. Catawba trimmed the deficit to within 24-22 before Voelker tallied a kill on set-point.

Tusculum grabbed quick control of the third set, again behind Hasse. She had two aces and a kill with Voelker posting two kills for a 5-0 lead. Stauffer's kill pushed the lead to 11-1. Hasse's final ace made the score 18-8 and the Pioneers went on to take the set and match. TC finished the final set with a .448 attack percentage to end the match hitting .260 as a team.

Catawba's McKenzie Garrison led all players with 11 kills, while Frabotta tallied 27 assists in the loss.

The Pioneers return to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to Queens University of Charlotte for a noon SAC contest.

- TC -